Low turnover rate in Phantom casting

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:11am

Does anybody have any idea as to why the actors in Phantom of the Opera seem to stay in their roles for years? While other long running shows seem to bring in new cast members ever 6-9 months it is rare to see a new Phantom or Christine. Are these roles so difficult to cast that the producers rely on old pros? Or is it because young upcoming actors are more drawn to contemporary shows? Thoughts?

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:12am

Few jobs in acting are more secure.

[Sondheim_Geek]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:20am

Actors age and realize that their chances to originate a role in a new show is dead. The paycheck becomes more important than the art when they have families to support and can no longer live splitting the rent with their UMich/UArts/Tisch graduating class in a midtown apartment.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:57am

The Phantom ECC a few weeks ago was PACKED, so it's certainly not a lack of interest (I didn't even get seen). The actors don't want to give up their jobs, and the producers are perfectly fine with that.

[HollyGolightly2]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:58am

I always thought that a big reason is because Phantom is the show that won't die. On the rare occasion that a production closes, the actors can move to one of the other 234982 productions worldwide and will need little to no preparation to do so.

I also think that Phantoms stay for years because of the nonexistent age limits of the Phantom. Many Raouls go on to play the Phantom, at many different ages. I mean, Ramin Karimloo (a Raoul) took on the role of the Phantom when he was 29, and Howard McGillin just left the role at 55.

Christines, however, must be relatively young, and the only roles they can really move into as they get older are Madame Giry and Carlotta. So they tend to move on more quickly.

Also, some people are just dedicated to the show. There are some people who really, really enjoy being a part of it. I believe there's a man in the West End production who's been working backstage since day 1.

It also must feel quite rewarding to be the leads in one of the most famous shows in the theater world. Everyone, musical-loving or musical-hating, has at least heard of Phantom of the Opera.



Then there also is indeed the guarantee of a paycheck. Like I said, Phantom is the show that won't die. It'll always be running somewhere, at least for a few decades. Updated On: 8/6/09 at 12:58 AM

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 1:39am

Guaranteed paycheck is #1 (George Lee Andrews was able to send his kids to college from the money he made in PHANTOM. He's been in the show since day 1.) and unlike other shows, PHANTOM is not built around specific name actors. The show itself is the draw, so once you get an actor in the role who wants to stay, the producers have no reason to look for someone new. Plus being that he is always behind a mask & makeup, the role is almost ageless.

[Jenna Maroney]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 9:43am

Hal Prince's continued involvement also must be appealing to actors.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 10:05am

Most actors only leave a role when they have another job lined up. To leave ANY show voluntarily is foolish. I would venture that the average age of the cast is much older at Phantom and therefore the options they have outside of Phantom are greatly diminished.

One in the hand....

[winston89]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 10:11am

Phantom does something that people bas Wicked for doing and they are both good things. Phantom and Wicked both have an open door policy for returning cast members. Now, it might not be fun for some people to watch the same Elphaba again on Broadway or the same Christine. But, they both do an amazing thing which is when a cast member leaves the producers give them the chance to come back when they want to. That's good because it means that there is job security in a time when that is hard to obtain.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 10:13am

I was just reading an interview with an actress playing Christine who is just returning from maternity leave, and the impression I got is that it's a great place to work. She said that there is ample time and support given to the women who have taken maternity leave, because they've gone through it for over 20 years with so many different actresses. If the show is making money, is secure work, and everyone's happy, why leave?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 10:17am

Winston, I would think that many shows would welcome someone back if they left on good terms and had an opening for them...I'm just sure how many actors want to go back. Look at how we bash those that do!

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:30pm

i don't think actors really care much about 'us' in that sense....we make up a VERY small percent of the audience, particularly in a show like "phantom"

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:43pm

Phantom does something that people bas Wicked for doing and they are both good things. Phantom and Wicked both have an open door policy for returning cast members.

Not everyone that leaves or appears in Wicked has the right to return whenever they want to. They don't give everyone the option, just the ones they like.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 1:12pm

Well...NO ONE can just return whenever they want to....they can't just come in and bump out the current actor. It's a lot of timing.

And I'm sure there is NEVER a guarantee to that for ANY actor.

[winston89]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 1:27pm

What I meant was that those are two shows that do let actors return or go and do another project and come back etc. Of course it isn't a sure fire thing and of course the producers have to like the person etc. But, what I was trying to say is that we mock Wicked for their recycling cast members, we did the same thing for Rent, and then we haven't done that for Phantom but Phantom does the same thing. And, what's better for an actor who is having trouble getting work then an open invitation back to a show that they were in before. They might not like it. But, at least it would pay the bills and put money on the table.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 1:40pm

Winston, I think the difference is that very few people talk about Phantom here very often. It's not a hot topic or particularly popular show among "us".

[winston89]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 2:29pm

I think you're right as to why posters on here haven't spoken about the recycling casting in Phantom. But, what I am trying to say is that regardless of the show even though we mock recycle casting you have to admit that it is a great thing as far as the actors are concerned. I mean they have the option to return to a show and actually have a job. Considering that nowadays it is hard to get a job as an actor and just hard to get a job in general it is a pretty good deal.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 4:42pm

I think you're right as to why posters on here haven't spoken about the recycling casting in Phantom.

Plus, I'm not sure when BWW started, but in the past ten years there have only been two actors to be officially cast as the Phantom. (Now with John Cudia that total comes to three. I'm not counting people who came in for short times over the primary actor's vacations.) So it's not so much a case of recycling, as it is there simply being no new casting news to speak of, period.

[AlgonquinProd2]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 5:00pm

Not commenting on the strength of the show or production but I took my nephew to see it about six months ago and the cast was brilliant; as sharp as if they'd just opened. So often you see or hear about productions which have been running for years and the actors walking through it, but certainly not the case in "Phantom". All the more credit to them if they've been doing it for years.

[ravnquest1]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 6:10pm

Updated On: 6/17/17 at 06:10 PM

[winston89]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 9:17pm

Keep in mind that there are cases where they would have a put in for someone who has been with the show and left and then came back again. An example of this is Jennifer Hope Willis. Upon coming back to the show from maternity leave they had her do a put in. So I am not sure that it is always the case that they bring someone back because they could save money on a put in etc. Just my two cents ravnquest1.

And, Cape Twirl of Doom, Keep in mind that it isn't the case that there has been nothing in the world of casting news from Phantom in the past ten years. Howard Mcgillan sp? took a break last summer and Cudia came in from the tour and then went back on the tour when Howard's break was done. When Willis went on maternity leave she was replaced by Marni Raab who was Christine in the international tour and the recent Christine alternate Loycano was one of the two Christines in the Vegas production of the show. So, there really has been a fair amount of recent recycling casting with this show.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 11:14pm

Well, I was talking more about for the role of the Phantom, I've not really been keeping track of the new Christines. And of course they'd bring in people who have already done the role when they just need someone for a temporary replacement.